As we come towards the end of our traineeship, it really is beginning to feel like we’ve come full circle! Just like last spring, the birds are singing, the plants are starting to flower, the jackdaws are stubbornly refusing to use the bird boxes and are instead attempting to nest in the most inconvenient of places and the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust (WWT) trainees are putting in fence posts, signs and gates. 

Of course, a lot has changed since this time last year, surprisingly so, given how fast it’s all gone by. Between receiving a wide range of qualifications, including our chainsaw and small tree felling and spending our time working out on Worcestershire’s nature reserves, we’ve all gained a huge amount of skills and experience to bring into the next phase of our conservation careers. With April fast approaching, we’re all working hard to figure out what those next phases might be. 

As for me, I’ve (finally!) passed my driving test and have now officially been let loose in the white Land Rover, which steers like a bus and is terrifyingly unlike the small hatchbacks I’ve been driving up until this point. In a week, I’ll be catching up with the other trainees by completing my trailer towing training as well, which I couldn’t imagine doing a year ago! I think this means I’ll be on permanent driving duty until we leave though…